Table of Contents

Figures and Tables

Summary of Findings and Recommendations

Chairman's Foreword

Vice Chairman's Foreword

I. Overview: Protecting Secrets and Reducing Secrecy

Commission Purposes and Objectives
Secrecy Issues Not Addressed by the Commission
Defining Government Secrecy
The Means for Protecting Government Secrets
The Importance of Protecting Secrets
The Intangible Costs of Secrecy
Efforts to Quantify the Costs of Secrecy
Evolving Concepts of National Security
A Statutory Basis for the Secrecy System

The Case for a Statutory Approach
A Proposed Statute

Conclusion

II. Rethinking Classification: Better Protection and Greater Openness

Toward a Life Cycle Approach to Classification Management
The Secrecy System

Bases for Classification

A Half Century of Executive Orders
Protection of Sources and Methods
Protection Under the Atomic Energy Act

Living With Ambiguity: The Levels of Classification
Controlling Access to Secrets: The "Need-to-Know" Principle
Clarifying Security in Special Access Programs
Protecting Other Government Information

The Classifiers

Original Classification Authorities: The Linchpin of Classification
Derivative Classifiers: Enhancing Accountability Where it Matters
Developing Better Classification Guides
Improving the Training and Education of Classifiers

The Key to Better Classification: The Initial Decision to Classify

The Importance of the Initial Decision
Improving the Initial Decision

Enhancing Implementation and Oversight

A Greater Role for the Congress
The Focal Point: Executive Branch Policy Development
and Oversight

Policy Development: Who's in Charge?
Oversight: The Critical Missing Link
A New Approach to Policy Development and Oversight

Strengthening Implementation and Oversight Within Agencies

Conclusion

III. Common Sense Declassification and Public Access

Declassification Under Past Executive Orders
Executive Order 12958: A Renewed Focus on Declassification
Declassification and the Freedom of Information Act
How Much Is Still Classified?
How Long Does It Take Before Information Is Declassified?
How Much Does Declassification Cost?
The Impact of Agency Equities:
Multiple Agency Reviews Mean Multiple Delays
The Current State of Agency Records Management
Agency Attitudes Affect Public Access
Public Access in the Information Age
Adequate Oversight Is Crucial to Sensible Declassification Policies

Recommendations for Improving Declassification and Public Access

Establishing A National Declassification Center
to Coordinate Public Access Policy
Clarifying Protection of Sources and Methods Information
Improving Records Management and Other Agency Practices to
Promote Public Access

Conclusion

IV. Personnel Security: Protection Through Detection

Overview of the Personnel Security Process

The Background Investigation

Types of Investigations
Investigative Costs

The Adjudication

Improving the Current System

Modernizing the System's Cold War Foundations
Increasing Clearance Reciprocity and Standardization
Enhancing Investigative Quality
Reducing Inefficiencies in the Processing of Cases
Addressing Transparency and Due Process Concerns
Allocating Resources More Effectively
Strengthening Employee Assistance Programs
Assessing the Value of Financial Disclosure
Advancing Polygraph Research
Making the Clearance Process More Efficient Through Automation

Conclusion

V. Information Age Insecurity

Federal Government Information Security and the
National Information Infrastructure

Preventing Redundancies in Technology Development
Promoting Government-Industry Cooperation
Discouraging the Use of Classification as an Alternative to
Effective Information Systems Security
Encouraging Greater Accountability and Leadership